Mitchell and Baller Defend Community Networks in ITIF Debate on June 1

Sign up for a live webcast (or if you are in DC, please attend) of Jim Baller and Christopher Mitchell engaging in an Oxford-style debate on the subject of community broadband with Rob D. Atkinson and Jeff Eisenach on June 1 at 9:00 EDT.

The statement to be debated is: "Governments Should Neither Subsidize nor Operate Broadband Networks to Compete with Commercial Ones." Guess which side Jim and I will take?

Comments

The underlying premise of this debate is something of a red herring because telecommunications infrastructure tends to be a natural monopoly due to high CAPex barriers to entry. How can there be healthy, robust competition (many sellers competing for many buyers) in a monopolistic market?

Random Quote

Municipalities are not primary motivated by the desire to make a “profit,” as that term is understood by Wall Street, but by the need to meet important needs of the community. Chief among these are enhancing economic development, educational and occupational opportunity, access to affordable health care, digital equity, public safety, homeland security, environmental protection, efficient government service, cultural enrichment, and all of factors that contribute to a high qualify of life. A public FTTU system can contribute to the fulfillment of each one of these goals.